With faith etched in her heart and written on her skin as a tattoo, Sonia Citron has always believed in herself. A standout player since high school, Soni transitioned seamlessly into becoming a collegiate basketball star at Notre Dame, proving everyone who believed in her right. 

As always, she leads her team and prepares for the WNBA Draft. After she picked up a basketball in the second grade, she never looked back. By the time she reached The Ursuline School in New York, she was already making waves. But more than anything, for her, the journey has been about her love for the game and the people who’ve been by her side every step of the way.

Sonia’s parents – The constant support behind her every step

Meet William and Yolanda Citron, the proud parents of this potential WNBA star. Sonia’s dad already knew a thing or two about basketball, having played at Bradley University. He seems to have passed his love for the game to his daughter. While Yolanda might keep a lower profile, her presence has been just as impactful.

Together, they created an environment where the Notre Dame guard could thrive. Growing up in Scarsdale, NY, her backyard and driveway were her first arenas. And it wasn’t just her dad who pushed her to excel; her older brother, Will, played a significant role too. Will, a soccer player at Cornell, helped instill a competitive spirit in her. 

“We’re both super competitive,” he admits. “I’d never go easy on her. Now it’s crazy to see her having these amazing games and even beating me sometimes!” Like her brother, soccer was her first love until her 6’1” frame started to take shape in eighth grade. 

That’s when she switched to basketball, and thank goodness she did because her high school career was legendary. During her senior year, Sonia averaged 26.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, leading The Ursuline School to an undefeated 14-0 record. 

But despite the amazing numbers, Bill and Yolanda have always felt there was something more to Soni’s game that she could unearth. As they kept pushing her to do her best, she caught the attention of every top basketball program in the country, including the Irish Fighters coach, Niele Ivey.

She recalled getting a call, “He said, The best kid out here is Soni Citron; she plays on a smaller team, not on the EYBL circuit yet… you absolutely need to get her on your radar.” “I went out and saw her, and he was completely right,” she added. 

When choosing a college, the 21-year-old faced a tough decision: Stanford or Notre Dame. Ultimately, family played a key role in her choice. With a three-hour time difference at Stanford, it would’ve been harder for her parents to watch her games. At Notre Dame, the entire family could stay involved.

In her freshman year under head coach Niele Ivey, she averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game—one of only two freshmen in the country to hit those numbers. She was named ACC Freshman of the Year and continued to rack up accolades, including being Notre Dame’s Defensive Player of the Year and earning multiple All-ACC honors.

But her father shared that it was after a sophomore AAU session when she became a big name. “There’s about 100 scouts there to watch Caroline Ducharme (currently at UConn), and none of them knew about Soni. Sonia came out, scored about 30 points, defended Caroline well, and then after that, everyone’s running over and asking who that Citron girl is, and then everyone started calling,” says Bill.

With each passing season, Sonia’s game has evolved. With her Swiss army knife skill set, she can shoot, post-up, defend, and rebound, making her one of the most versatile players on the court. 

Her stat sheet spoke for itself during her glorious years with the Irish. Throughout it all, her family has been her rock. But now, there’s another special someone who has become one of her sources of inspiration.

Sonia Citron finds a new addition to her circle of inspiration

The baller met her boyfriend Marist Liufau in Notre Dame as he was her three-year senior. Being an athlete himself (the NFL rising start, he understood her. Their shared love for sports laid the foundation for their relationship. 

After being together for over two years, the fans see them as ‘made for each other.’ Even some ask Soni for lessons on how to make a man treat you right. The couple has never shied away from supporting each other at games to expressing their love on social media. 

Marist often wears a #11 jersey (Sonia’s number) at her games. Don’t they remind us of those classic 90s love stories? These days, it’s rare to see such a strong, supportive relationship at such a young age. 

With all these pillars by her side, she enters the WNBA draft this year. She is projected to be a first-round pick with teams like the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury. But no matter where she goes, we can’t wait to see what she achieves next.